CLITERATI/REALITY SLAP

CLITERATI “Cliterati” EP

REALITY SLAP “Limitless” EP

By Dr. Abner Mality

Two very different kinds of hardcore are featured on Eps from 2 new bands. They both give you a swift kick in the nuts but do it in varying ways.

I think Cliterati from Portland might have a hell of a future ahead of them if they can maintain the bruising quality of their debut EP. I’m unclear if all members of the band are female, but I know they’ve got connections to Voetsek and the great Poison Idea. Man, this band jams hard! Five tracks of bulldozing crust punk that’s like Discharge, Bolt Thrower and Poison Idea in a blender. The female vocals are angry but very clear…I’m reminded of Tam from Britain’s Sacrilege. They plow through the disc in about ten minutes and at no point do they let up the assault. This is one if you like heavy metallic crust.

Reality Slap hail from the unlikely location of Portugal but they hold very firm to the tenets of classic East Coast hardcore. This is more slickly produced than Cliterati, with a killer bass sound. There’s tons and tons of shouted gang choruses….too many to suit me, actually. Much like Cliterati, they race through “Limitless” in about ten minutes, with no song exceeding the two minute mark. It’s almost too fast for its own good, but there’s some punch here and I would have never guessed they were European if not for the thick accents on the spoken parts. I really need to see what Reality Slap does on a full length before passing judgement, but they need a little work.

I think Cliterati delivered the heavier blow this time, but Reality Slap is by no means hopeless or a lightweight.